Referee Oliver assigned for Turkiye vs. Italy Nations League crunch match

English referee Michael Oliver has been assigned to officiate Italy's crucial Nations League match against Turkey on Monday at the Ataturk Spor Kompleski Matli Stadyumu in Bursa. The game starts at 19:45 UK time (20:45 CEST). This is a rematch between the two teams, who both lost their opening games in the Group A standings. Italy is at the bottom of the table in terms of goal difference following a 2-0 defeat to Belgium, while Turkey lost 1-0 to France.

Oliver, assisted by Stuart Burt, James Mainwaring, and Darren England, will be supported by English VAR officials Stuart Attwell and Matthew Donahue. The veteran English referee, 41 years old, had a poor record with the Italian national team, overseeing four wins, seven draws, and nine defeats including 11 Italian wins, seven draws and nine defeats.

His most infamous moment was when he was criticized by Gianluigi Buffon for having a 'dustbin for a heart' after awarding a penalty and sending him off in a Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid in April 2018. In Turkey matchups, Oliver officiated three wins and a 6-0 defeat to Spain, including a 2026 World Cup qualifying play-off with Kosovo.